The Tide Is Turning: Here’s What Happened At UNOC3

This update was sent to our supporters. Want to join the movement?

Click here to subscribe for updates.

Momentum is building! Isn’t it beautiful to see the world rejecting deep sea mining as a dangerous industry?

There’s a lot happening right now after the United Nations Ocean Conference and we noticed that deep sea mining updates were scattered across various announcements and media. 

So we’ve compiled all the highlights in one place for you.

Here’s what you need to know about DSM from UNOC3:

Political Leaders Took a Stand

French President Emmanuel Macron set the tone early with a clear message:

“The ocean is not for sale.”

That statement echoed throughout the week, alongside passionate calls from other leaders like Costa Rica’s President Rodrigo Chaves Robles, who spoke of the ocean’s warning signs such as coral bleaching, storms, and vanishing species.

He went so far as to say the DSM industry is “predatory”.

Great news came from journalist Elizabeth Claire Alberts from Mongabay who got these exclusive comments from Prime Minister James Marape of Papua New Guinea:

“We don’t want any deep-sea mining in Papua New Guinea,” says Marape. He continues “As far as I’m concerned, if there’s any way to stop it, we’ll stop it. There’s no deep-sea mining in our country,” reaffirming PNG’s commitment to its moratorium. 

He also revealed he was blindsided by corporate attempts to sneak back into the country using outdated licences. 

Civil society leaders like Joey Tau (PANG) called for stronger legal protections and transparent community consultation. “Our call as civil society representative groups working in the environmental space is to go back and impose a moratorium,” says Tau. 

He ends with a comment that sums it up perfectly. Joey says “Prime Minister Marape needs to get busy”.

The Highlight: French Finance Rejects DSM

One of the week’s biggest moments came from our finance advocacy work.

Three major French financial institutions including two of France’s largest banks and the state’s public investment body announced they will not fund or support deep sea mining.

Read our full press release: Three Major French Investors Reject Deep Sea Mining

This is what movement pressure looks like in action, and we need your help to make sure the world sees it. 

Eyes on the ISA

With the next International Seabed Authority (ISA) meeting just weeks away, the pressure will shift back to the halls of decision-makers. Some states will push for progress on mining. We’ll be watching and pushing back with science, solidarity, and global resistance.